Gutter



(No Model.) NERACHER.

GUTTER.

No. 548,082., Patented Oct. 15, 1895.

UNITED. STATES PATENT ()Fnrce.

ADOLPH NERACHER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

GUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,082, dated October 15, 1895.

Application filed April 14,1894. $erial No. 507,553- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADOLPH'NERAOHER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Guyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gutters, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to gutters for the eaves of buildings.

The object sought to be obtained in my invention is to provide a gutter capable of resisting decay or corrosion, simple in construction, of ornamental appearance, and when combined with a particular formof bracket adapted to be made practically. continuous and to be adjusted at the proper inclination in order to afford perfect outflow or drainage.

The details of construction of my invention are fully described hereinafter, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- I Figure 1 shows a sectional view of the gutter in place. Fig. 2 shows alongitudinal vertical section, taken in the center of the gutter, through the joint between meeting sections. Fig. 3 illustrates a series of brackets.

In the drawings, A represents a section of.

the gutter. It is composed of cement, which is molded into a trough of semicylindrical or approximately semicylindrical shape and of uniform thickness. The sections may be made of any desired length, preferably about four feet, and they may be all made alike. Being made of cement or clay or like plastic or molded material and in this uniform shape and dimensions they can be manufactured cheaply, and the material is such that no corrosion or disintegration occurs in use, but the sections harden instead upon exposure to the atmosphere and become stronger and more firm. I prefer to cover them with a coating of a preparation of tar, which gives them an ornamental appearance, and also, preferably, I coat the iron brackets with the same material.

In putting up this form of gutter, since the sections are of uniform thickness and dimensions, it is necessary that the supports should be successively lower from the upper to the lower end of the gutter in order to secure the proper inclination. This inclination I secure by forming the series of brackets of varying shapes. It is inconvenient and not favorable to the appearance of the front of the building to set the brackets upon the cornice at varying elevations. Sometimes the width of the board does not permit it, and in any case such unequal arrangement mars the appearance. To avoid these difficulties I form the brackets in series, in which the shanks b of the brackets B are made of uniform shape and dimensions, while the bend c is made in varying proportions. For illustration, in Fig. 3 the bend a of the first bracket B is a curve from the point 1, corresponding to the contour of the gutter-section. The next bracket in order in the series (marked B) is formed with a downwardly-extending shank 1 to 2, the curve of the bow beginning at the point2 and from that point conforming to the contour of the gutter. The third bracket in the series has a still longer shank from 1 to the point 3, below which is the same curve as before. The series continues in thesame manner, each in order, having longer vertical shanks, connecting the main shank of the bracket with the curved part which directly supports and fits the gutter. On this principle of construction the shanks throughout the series of brackets are made uniform, while the supporting curves or arms are made successively lower by reason of the successive variation of the shanks. The brackets support and hold the gutter in its relation to the edge of the shingles or slate or other roof-covering, as shown in Fig. 1. In order to connect the sections to each other and to the brackets, I have devised the method and construction shown in Fig. 2. The con- 'struction of the end of the gutter-sections appears in said figure. The ends 01 are beveled, and back of the bevels the ends are rabbeted and are also formed with a groove e at the back of the rabbets. This forms a recess for a cement joint, which is made by filling the rabbet, the groove, and space between the bevels d with the cement f. Preferably, in putting on the sections I leave a space, as shown in Fig; 2, between the ends. As will be seen by reference to Fig. 2, I support the contiguous ends of the sections upon the bracket. The upper face of the bracket is plain, and upon it I place a layer of cement when putting up the gutter, and onthe fresh cement Ilay theend 0f the gutter-sections in central layer part of which is placed down in L contact with the layer of cement upon the bracket. This adheres to the cement upon the bracket, which thus forms a bond to connect the gutter to the bracket, while at the same time the bodyof cement-holds thesectiens t gether.

I prefer to form the bracket with a rib, but 5 able nippers and left in the space between any suitable form of cross-section may be used instead. i

In putting up this-gutter the brackets, taken in their proper'order, are set with their shanks all on the same line, the construction of the brackets themselvesg iving the proper amount of slope. After the'brackets arepnt in place the sections of the gutter are laid 1211 the manner above, described, and as the cement hardens they become fixed in place; I

I have shown a shankwith an inclined face fitting the particular form of cornice shown; but, of course, this face will be changed to suit the kind of cornice for which it may be designed. i

I do not limit myself to the particular form of connection between the gutter-sections nor to the particular form of brackets.

While thegutter-sect-ions, made of cement, asphaltum, or like material which is capable of being molded into form and then hardened, are exceedingly durable, the material also admits of reinforcement. This I secure by means of wires embedded in the material in the process of construction of the sections. These wires are shown at b, c, and d. The bottom wire I) and the wire 0 of the outside edge I prefer to make somewhat larger than the wire d, which is embedded in the inner edge, since the greater strain comes upon these. The bottom wire 1) takes the tensile strain and prevents sagging of the gutter, while the wire 0 of the' outside edge of the gutter resists the pressure of ladders, which may be made to bear upon it. In making these sections the wires are embedded in the soft material and the ends are left projecting in length suflicient to be connected when the sections are placed to form the gutter. The wire may be of any desired size-ordinary No.16 gage is sufficient-and should be capable of readily bending and especially of sustaining tensile strain. When the ends of the sections are brought near as possible to each other, the ends of the wires are bent to interlock, as shown at 2 in Fig. 2. These may be closely drawn together by any suitthe section ends. The spaces between the sections being filledwith cement, as shown at f,.a close joint is formed, and the interlocking ends of the wires are held and bound firinly against separation,so that the wires are practically continuous throughout the entire length of the gutter. As the wires are entirely covered by the cement, they are protected from corrosion and will last as long as the cement, which is practically proof against atmospheric influences.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to protect by Let- ADOLPl-I NERAOHER.

Witnesses:

HENRY E. COOPER, MARGARET V. COOPER. 

